This is an intense, coming of age story with a mystery element running through it. The narrator, Cassie, is 12 years old and the book describes her very disturbing family life. She is also living in a small town where her classmates are being abducted and sexually assaulted. I found Cassie’s character to be incredibly likeable but the story itself was dark, intense, and although a lot is hinted at rather than said, it’s a difficult read at points. I read it quickly though, eager to find out who it was that was abducting the boys, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending until I read that the author had actually written an epilogue (which you can find on her website) but that she’d removed it from the book so the reader could decide themselves what happened to Cassie. I prefer a clear cut ending so I was happy to find out what the author believed was Cassie’s ending, even if parts of it did leave me feeling sad.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not really sure what to think about this one. There was so much going on. This was supposed to be a story about kidnapping and children disappearing, but that felt like the side story and not the main one. I felt like it was more about a child in a home or abuse. The story was still compelling, but it just felt like there were two competing main plot lines.

This was an interesting book but slow in some parts. Twelve-year-old Cassie is living in a small town in Minnesota with her older sister, Sephie and her parents. The story is told from her point of view and it becomes apparent very early on that this is a dysfunctional household where the parents frequently host "adult" parties that terrify both girls. And then when some of the local boys go missing and return with sinister and "darker" personalities, Cassie decides to play detective and get to the bottom of these disappearances. Mixing fact with fiction, Lourey recounts the events that plagued a real town in the 1980's. I enjoyed the story but it ended rather abruptly and I would have liked more information about the characters.

[[partner]] Thanks to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for providing me a free copy of Unspeakable Things. This was a very unique and fun read!
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Unspeakable Things is a cross between an 80’s coming of age story and also a chain of abductions occurring in a small town. I really enjoyed the story of Cassie and her unconventional family. I was rooting for her as she faced many challenges in her life. I definitely feel like the book was more focused on her story, with less about the abductions. I think I would have liked a better balance between those two elements but overall I thought it was an enjoyable read!

This book was really good! It is fast paced and kept me reading til I finished! The story is written well and keeps you hooked. I would definitely recommend!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

“Basements were where men kept their secrets.”

When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued by the premise of the blending of a real occurrence with an imaginative tale. However, as I settled down into the story, I felt...disconnected.
I couldn’t gel with the narration style of Cassie, which at times seemed far more advanced than her age and immature at others.

I grew increasingly frustrated with the slow pace, and lack of action, as the story progressed, and had to resort to skim reading to get through it. In saying that though, the last few chapters were a lot more interesting, but after the slow burn to get there, they felt rushed, and were far too little, far too late to change my earlier feelings.

I wanted to like this more, but I unfortunately I guess it wasn’t for me. 1.5 stars.

Thank you to Jess Lourey, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for a Read Now arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Bad news still finds you on sunny days.”

Unspeakable Things it’s an emotional story told through 12 years old girl’s eyes and is inspired by the true events. Although the subject matter is very disturbing and unsettling the book itself is not very violent and graphic which is refreshingly different to the usual thriller.

Young boys are being abducted by a stranger in a mask in a small town of Minnesota. As Cassie follows the local events she becomes determined to discover what happened to the molested boys.
However it‘s not the only problem that occupies her mind. We soon find out Cassie struggles with her very own personal nightmares - lack of friends, abuse and constant fear of her father.

The author captured the horrifying events very well and created a great story of suspense. I could sense the atmosphere of mystery and dark secrets from the very first pages. I absolutely loved a first person narration - I could almost feel Cassie’s horror and vulnerability and my heart ached for her all the time.

The only disappointment for me was the ending which leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I would like to know what happened to Cassie and her family after the evens unfold, especially her relationship with father.

I understand it may not be an easy read for some and it is most definitely heartbreaking and unsettling reminder that the monsters might live among us.

“Unspeakable Things” follows Cassie, coming of age in the 1980’s, and her older sister Sephie as they navigate both a troubled home life as well as rumors of children being taken in the town of Lilydale, a small community in Minnesota.

This is a slow burn mystery, with multiple red herrings at play – tension is building up to something sinister, and it seems that almost any of the adults in town could be implicated. Most of the action, and the best parts of the story, take place in the final chapters of the book. Unfortunately, the final reveal does not come as a surprise.

I really enjoyed parts of this book, and found others to be wholly unnecessary. Without giving too much away, there are elements at play which do nothing to move the story forward, but I suppose are rather to establish a dysfunctional home life for the sisters. But, we already know that some of the people closest to them are unreliable, so there are things I could do without.

Strangely, the incredibly important epilogue was left out of the book. To read this final section, readers must head to Jess Lourey’s website to see where the central characters end up. To me, the epilogue was critical to my full understanding and resolution of the story, so it seems an odd choice to leave it out.

Note that this book does have descriptions of abuse towards children, as well as implied assault by a parent. It’s not extensive, but this could certainly be a troubling read for some. Overall, it was ok. I liked Cassie and rooted for her, and found myself moving very quickly through the book at the end.

this is a very disturbing story about child abuse.- involving a community that has two faces or double standards.
I was shocked at how the people turned a blind eye to certain activities and condemned others.

This book is a dark and disturbing tale told through the eyes of a 13 year old girl in search of a hero or maybe trying to be one herself. It was an enjoyable read drawing you into the suspense and mystery. As told from Cassie's POV the writing style makes sense. The things that the author shows us are things a normal 13 year old girl would focused on. Even considering that I wish the story had been a bit more fleshed out especially the ending which felt a little rushed. Overall I'm glad I picked it up and would recommend it to others with the warning of potential triggers.

I wanted to read this book because it was based on true events. "Unspeakable Things" was even better than my expectations. It was so well written. I fell in love with the innocent main character Cassie, a thirteen-year-old girl at the time of the abductions. I couldn’t put the book down. Not only because I was interested in solving the mystery, but because I had so much concern for the main character Cassie. I wanted to hear the end of her story and hoped for a good ending for her.

I look forward to reading more books by Jess Lourey.

If you liked Glass Castles, you will like this book.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Well, I started this last night and read until past midnight- not a good idea since I get up very early- and then I finished on my break today. WHEW! This story was so fast-paced and important to me for many reasons. I NEEDED to make sure the characters in the book were going to be okay. My heart broke for all the kids that were taken by the town creeper and I couldn't wait to solve the mystery. I loved the author's writing style! I could see the surroundings and smell the air and taste the foods. Some of her sentences are so beautifully written that I reread them 3 or 4 times and made highlights on my kindle. I will 100% read this author again. I loved all the 80s details that made me remember the good old days of being a kid.

I'm still reeling from this book. There was a lot to process and truly disturbing but I couldn't put it down.

Book #10 for 2020 for me was Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey and what a slow burn this one was!
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I’ve always been a bit fascinated with True Crime, and loved Lourey’s Author’s Note about growing up in the same town that Jacob Wetterling was abducted from. This book was haunting and eerie, while also reminding you of the innocence of what it was like being a kid and knowing that something wasn’t quite right around you. The writing was great and I absolutely loved Cassie’s inner dialogue throughout.

Here’s the summary: Cassie is a 12 year old girl growing up in small town Minnesota navigating her dysfunctional family, looking forward to summer, when something dark begins happening in her quiet town. One by one, boys have been going missing, only to be returned changed— violent, withdrawn, moody. When Cassie realizes that there is a connection between the missing boys she decides to take things into her own hands, but can she help save these boys, while also trying to save herself from those closest to her?

Thank you Netgalley for my copy! Check this one out guys

This is a very dark book...and for a while I thought it was going to be even darker, which was alarming. However, the main character was engaging and fascinating enough that even though I was concerned, I wanted to keep reading -- which is a testament to how well done this book is. I would definitely recommend this to fans of dark suspense; it won't be for everyone but really good for it's target audience!

I could not stop reading this book. I read at lunch, I read at work, I read in bed. The writing is rich and visceral. The journey from beginning to end was thrilling in the BEST of ways. Cannot recommend highly enough!

This book was a great mystery to the end! Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong! The whole story of their life In Minnesota was pretty sad and very dysfunctional I felt so bad for Cassie because she was a good kid but her surroundings were so depressing. Overall, this was a good book but the title definitely sums it up! This book is filled with "Unspeakable things"!!! I love the cover and the fact the book was set in the 80's because I was born in the 80's. I definitely could relate to some things in this book. Riding bikes by the light of fireflies, having a trapper keeper and having good friends along the way. I think I know who the real life Cassie is (since this book was based around true events) and I hope she has a full and happy life now. Thank you Netgalley, Jess Lourey and Thomas & Mercer for this great mystery!

Cassie McDowell is a 12-year old living on a farm in 1980s Minnesota. But there is evil in Lilydale as local boys get assaulted by a masked man. Rumors about who is responsible grow wild and dangerous town secrets start to surface. There are also strange family dynamics in the McDowell household with Cassie, sculptor father Donny, teacher Peg and Cassie's older sister Sephie. And the annual adult parties at their farm encourages the worst behavior out of its attendees.

Dreaming of becoming a writer, Cassie emulates her fictional detective muse and starts investigating the attacks with the help of a new neighbour and friend named Frank. But when Cassie's secret "boyfriend" Gabriel goes missing, the stakes are ramped up for both Cassie and the town to find him in time.

This was an eery and thrilling read.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I sped through Unspeakable Things and read it in basically one sitting! I was immediately sucked into the story, and didn’t want to put it down until I knew what was going on. The book was written from the perspective of a 13 year old, which I thought was a really unique way to tell such a dark and gritty story.

At the end, I decided it felt like there were a ton of details/side stories that seemed as if they would all be tied together, but ended up being unrelated to each other which felt a little unnecessary. The “twist” at the end also didn’t feel that twisty. I wouldn’t necessarily call it predictable, but there just seemed to be several complete dead ends before getting to the twist.

I also went to the author’s website to read the epilogue that wasn’t included in the book, and it definitely helped provide some closure for me, so I’m really glad that was made accessible!

Overall, there were several things I really enjoyed about this book, and would definitely recommend for those who enjoy darker mysteries!

This book left a sour taste in my mouth; it was an uncomfortable read, extremely raw and kind of disturbing without really being graphic or too obvious - which says a lot about the author's power to deliver a deeply unsettling story without really having to be gratuitous or grotesque. A lot about this story is simply hinted at, or whispered without being too loud; nothing is outright spoken, and that should fully explain the title, "Unspeakable Things". Some of the things that take place in this story are truly things that are unspeakable, things that we know of but are afraid to speak of, and that's exactly what goes on in this little town, where strange events are shaking it at its very core, where boogeymen, hiding in plain sight, are hurting children and returning them different.
While the creepy atmosphere is masterfully delivered, so to induce a constant state of anxiety, I wouldn't straight up call this book a thriller. For starters, it's less plot-driven and more focused on the main character's coming to terms with the reality afflicting her town while simultaneously trying to make sense of an epidemic of "Peeping Toms" and "Chester the Molesters" that's spreading like wildfire and affecting kids around her. In that sense, it's a rather slow-paced book, despite it being quite short, which severely hindered the effectiveness of the history. Some chapters I honestly could've done without, and sometimes the author got too lost in details and shades while I desperately wanted to know whodunit.
What I really can't get past, though, is the ending. One of the less satisfying endings that I've ever read. And while I do see why the author has opted for a conclusion that literally gives the reader no resolution and no relief, I can't help but hate it. Especially when it comes to thrillers, I love endings nicely wrapped with a bow on top, I want to have everything explained to me, and I need to close the book without any further questions - and that was the opposite of everything I just said. Things were rushedly wrapped, giving no time to the reader to fully acclimate, and then leaving some crucial questions unanswered. Never have I ever read a book more truthful to the title than this one over here.

All in all, it was a nice read, albeit extremely unsettling and disturbing, that I could safely recommend if the topic interests you, just don't expect a high-intensity, fast-paced thriller, because it aint' it, chief. I'll be curious to read more books of this author.